A Cayman Islands Discharge Book, (SDB) is a non-compulsory document recording seafarer sea service on a Cayman Islands ship. It is issued to seafarers by the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands (MACI). Sea service may also be recorded in separate documents containing a record of seafarers’ employment in accordance with Maritime Labour Convention Standard A2.1/1(e). SDBs issued by other Administrations are also considered valid for this purpose.

SDBs may be issued to the following categories of seafarers:

seafarers currently serving on board Cayman Islands ships in any capacity;

seafarers who have been offered employment on board a Cayman Islands ship in any capacity; and

any other seafarers who wish to seek employment on board a Cayman Islands ship.

Applicants for a SDB should hold a valid seafarer Medical Certificate satisfying Maritime Labour Convention Standard A1.2 or Regulation I/9 of the STCW Convention; and evidence of Basic Training in accordance with Section A-VI/1.2 of the STCW Code.

The holder of a SDB should produce his/her SDB upon the request of: a surveyor of ships appointed under section 419(1) of the Merchant Shipping Law, an Inspector appointed under section 419(6) of the Merchant Shipping Law, the Registrar of Shipping, the Shipping Master, the seafarer’s employer or the master of a Cayman Islands ship on which the seafarer is serving, or about to serve.

If a seafarer holds a SDB issued by another Administration, it should also be produced on request to the persons mentioned above while the seafarer is employed on board a Cayman Islands ship.

Under the Merchant Shipping Law seafarers may be disqualified from serving on a Cayman Islands ship if the seafarer is found to be unfit to discharge their duties by reason of incompetence, misconduct or serious negligence in the discharge of those duties. The disciplinary body may also require the surrender of any document, including a SDB, which has been issued to the seafarer by MACI or the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry. A SDB surrendered will normally be returned to the seafarer at the end of any period of disqualification.

Seafarers who are not employed, or about to be employed, on board a Cayman Islands ship may also apply for a SDB and should include evidence of serving as a seafarer on board a ship of any nationality within the last 5 years with their application.